Humidifier



May 21 1935V w. H, PARKER AL 29002,273

HUMIDFIER n Filed July 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet J Inweb/77M' 'Ha/TT Jzff/ 67 M @AMM May 2l, 1935. w, H, PARKE ET AL 2,002,273y

HUMIDIFIER JZzffe,

Harf @M Patented May 21, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE buck' and Co.

Application July 5, 1934, Serial No. 733,827

5 Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to means for humidifying the atmosphere of homes, oilces, etc., and its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, compactand eilicient apparatus for that purpose.

In the accompanying drawings: I

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one form of humidifier embodying the features of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the humidiiler.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental plan view of one of the water pans comprised in the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental view of one of the air heaters.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken in the plane of dotted line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental sectional view of the water tank.

Fig. 'I is an elevation of the means for conducting water from the tank to a pan therebelow.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of said means.

'Ihe embodiment herein shown of tthe invention comprises a cabinet or casing whiclrmay be of any desired size and shape, as, for example, in the form of a rectangular cabinet about two feet high, about twenty inches wide and about eleven inches from front `to rear. It will be understood v that these dimensions are stated merely by way of illustration and not for the purpose of limiting the invention. v c

The front wall of the cabinet is indicated at I`,

Vthe rear wall at 2 and the end walls at 3 and 4, respectively. The top wall is preferably made removable and therefore may'conveniently take the form of a cover 5 adapted to rest upon the upper edges of the walls I, 2, 3 and 4 and having marginal anges 6. The cabinet is .supported upon feet 4a.

Withinv the upper portion of the cabinet is a tank to contain water, said tank having an outlet valve arranged to allow water to flow to a pan located below the tank, said pan containing means to absorb water and expose the same to evaporation over a relatively great surface area. Water overowing from said tank flows into a lower tank containing a similar arrangement for absorbf be employed.

The water tankabove referred to is indicated at 8. It rests removably upon ledges 9 and I0 10 secured to the front and rear walls vI and 2, respectively. In the top wall of the tank is a filling opening normally closed by a screw plug I I. At one end of the tank is an outlet I2 (Fig. 6) arranged to be closed by a valve I3 fixed upon a 15 stem I4 said stem being guided for vertical movement. As hereinbefore stated, this valve is controlled by a float and provision is made to prevent splashing of water as it ows from the valve to the uppermost water pan. In the construction 20 herein shown al trough I5 is mounted within the cabinet to swing upon a pivot I6, said pivot being carried by a partition I1 in the cabinet. The rear wall of the trough I5 is indicated at I8. The

`front end of the trough is open. A weight I9 at- 25 tached to the trough I5 rearwardly of the pivot I6 normally holds the trough I5 elevated. In the forward end of the trough I 5 is a. curved bracket 20 upon which the lower end of the valve stem I4 rests. When the trough I5 is in its normal upperv position, the bracket 20 holds the valve stem elevated so as to hold the valve I3 against its seat, thus cutting off the flow of water from the tank 8. When the trough I5 is in theposition shown in Fig. 2, water ows past the valve to the bracket 35 20 and thence to the trough, thus avoiding splashmg.

A shallow rectangular pan 2| is supported directly below the water tank 8, the ends of the pan tting slidably in channels 22 on the partition Il 4o and a similar partition 23 located within the cabinet. These partitions are parallel with the end walls 3 and I, respectively.

Within the pan 2| is removably supported a water-absorbing unit which is herein shown as consisting of a wire framework and a strip of abv sorbent fabric or wicking material. The wire framework comprises a series of upper and lower horizontal bars, the upper bars being indicated at 24 andthe lower bars being numbered 25 in the drawings. The fabric 25St is secured at one end to one of the bars 24' and extends thence to and under the adjacent bar 25 and then up to the next bar 2i and then down to the next bar 25, and so on to the opposite end of the water-absorb- 55 ing unit. The fabric 25a is thus arranged in a sinuous fashion, the lower portions of the numerous folds being submerged in the water contained in the pan 2| Capillary attraction causes water to rise into the various folds so as to meisten all of the fabric. It will be seen that the water-absorbing unit is highly eiiicient, yet inexpensive, and that it may be manufactured and sold as a replacement element, ifA desired.

As shown in Fig. 5, the left-hand end of the pan 2| extends to a point directly below the trough so as to receive water flowing or dripping therefrom. I'he water-absorbing unit in the pan 2| extends substantially the full length of said pan, save for a shortening to accommodate the trough |5. At a suitable point, as, for example, midwaytof its length, the pan 2| is` provided with an outlet 26 which is surrounded by a tube 21 that is of less height than the walls of the pan 2|. When the level of the water in the pan 2| rises above the level determined by the height of the tube 21, water flows through said tube into a pan 28, which is similar to the pan 2| and which contains a water-absorbing unit which is or may be similar to the water-absorbing' unit in the pan 2|, except that it may be of such length as to .occupyV the full length of the pan. n

The pan 28 is slidably mounted in channels 29 on the partitions |1 and 23. The pan 28 is provided with4 a drain opening 3|!y which is surrounded by a tube 3| similar to the tube 21.

Water overflowing from the pan 28 is received in a pan 32 similar to the pan 28, the pan 32 containing a water-absorbing unit 34 which is similar to those in the pans 2| and 28. Channels 33 on the partitions |1 and 23 slidably support the pan 32.

In the lowermost pan is a float formed in this instance of a tube 36 (Figs. 2 and 3) which is closed at its ends, said oat/being secured to arms 31 which are pivoted at 38 to the end walls of the pan 32. In order to provide room for the oat36 the lowermost water-absorbing unit may be made of a smaller dimension from front to rear than the remaining water-absorbing units. Rigid with the float 36 is an upwardly extending arm 39 which is connected by means of a rod 40 to a bracket 4| which is xed to the forward end of the trough I5. The upper end of the rod 40 is screw-threaded and extends through a knurled nut 42 which is rotatably connected to the bracket 4|, thus providing means whereby the relation of the trough to the float may be adjusted so as to maintain the water level in the lower pan at the desired height.

Below and somewhat to the rear of the tier of water-absorbing devices is a heater which may be of any desired construction, but which is herein shown as comprising two headers 43 and 44 located within the lower portion of the cabinet adjacent to the end walls 3 and 4, respectively, these headers being connected by means of three tubes 45. The tubes 45 are preferably provided with means to expedite the radiation of heat therefrom- Such means may be of anydesired character, but are herein shown as comprising sheet-metal fins 46 (Fig. 4) mounted upon said tubes and so constructedlas to provide vertical air passages.

In order elciently to conduct heated air to the Water-absorbing units, we provide sheet-metal partitions or bailies 41, 48, 49 and 50 (Fig. 2) extending from the heater to said units. The partition 41 extends from a point below thel forward ytube 45 and its radiating ns to a point adjacent to and below the lowermost pan 32. The partition 48 extends from between the forward tube 45 and the middle tube 45 to a point below and adjacent to the pan 28. Thus, air heated by the forward tube 45 will be directed to and through the lowermost water-absorbing unit and after evaporating water from said Water-absorbing lunit will escape through the grille 1. Similarly,

the partition 49 extends from between the 'middle and rear tubes 45 to a point adjacent to and b elow the uppermost pan 2|, the partitions 48 and 49 thereby serving to direct air warmed by the middle tube 45 to and through the middle waterabsorbing unit. The partition 50 extends from a point adjacent to the rear tube 45 to a point above and close to the uppermost water-absorbing unit, whereby the partitions 49 and 50 act to direct air warmed by the rear tube 45 to and through the uppermost water-absorbing unit. As shown in Fig. 2, the partitions 48, 49 and 50 extend upwardly in the rear portion of the cabinet and direct the heated air to the rear sides Yof the water-absorbing units.

A plate 5| extending from the front wall of the cabinet to the lower end of the partition 41 insures that all the air moving upwardly through the cabinet shall flow through the air passages formed by the fins 46. Openings for the admission of air may be provided in any desired way, as by utilizing for that purpose the spaces between the feet 4B.

'Ihe upper and lower portions of the header 44 are connected to a convenient source of supply of heating medium, as, for example, an ordinary steam or hot-water radiator by means of tubes 52. To the upper portion of the header 43 is connected a conventional radiator valve 53. As shown in Fig. 5, the tubes 45 are preferably inclined downwardly from the header 43 to the header 44 to facilitate drainage.

It will be seen that we have provided means for eiiciently humidifying the air within a room, the construction being such that a relatively large amount of Water may be evaporated by a relatively small piece of apparatus, and without the use of a fan. However, it is obvious that a fan may be employed if a forced draftbe desired- When cleaning or replacement of the waterabsorbing fabric becomes desirable, the front of the cabinet may be opened by removing the grille 1, thereby giving access to all of the waterabsorbing units. Each of the pans 2|, 28 and 32 may be withdrawn upon its guide channels and the water-absorbing unit lifted therefrom. It will be understood that prior to withdrawal of the lowermost pan the rod 40 should be disconnected from the arm 39.

While the present embodiment of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it should be noted that the invention is not restricted to such details, except as indicated in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention.

1. A humidifier comprising a cabinet, a water tank inthe upper portion of said cabinet, aV

pan, a oat in the. last-mentioned pan arranged to control the ilow of water from the water tank, and partitions in the cabinet to direct air to each oi said water-absorbingunits. L

2. A humidifier comprising a cabinet, a water tank in the upper portion of said cabinet, a shallow pan adapted to contain water below the water tank, a water-absorbing unit in said pan, the lower portion of said unit being arranged to extend into the water contained in said pan, an overiiow outlet from said pan, a substantially similar pan below the first-mentioned pan and arranged to receive water flowing from said overilow, a water-absorbing unit in the second pan, the lower portion of said unit being arranged to be submerged in water contained in the second pan, and means for supplying warm air to each o! said water-absorbing units.

3. A humidifier comprising a water tank, a shallow pan adapted Ato contain water below the water tank, a water-absorbing unit in said pan.

the lower portion of said unit being arranged to' extend into the water ycontained in said pan, a float in the pan arranged to control the flow oi water from the water tank, and partitions to direct air to said water-absorbing unit.

4. A humidiiler comprising a cabinet, a water tank in the upper portion oi said cabinet, a

shallow elongated pan adapted to contain water below the water tank, a water-absorbing unit in said pan and occupying substantially its full length. the lower portion of said unit being arranged to extend into the water contained in said pan, an overilow outlet from said pan, a substantially similar pan below the mst-mentioned pan and arranged to receive water flowing from said overflow, a similar water-absorbing unit in the second pan, the lower portion of said unit being arranged to be submerged in water contained in the second pan, and partitions extending upwardly within the rear portion of the cabinet to direct air to the rear side of each of said water-absorbing units, the humidiiied air escaping through the front of the cabinet.

5. A humidiiier comprising a cabinet, a water tank in the upper portion of said cabinet,` a pan adapted to contain water below the water tank, means for absorbing water from the pan, an overilow outlet from said pan, a pan below the mst-mentioned pan and arranged to receive water flowing from said overilow, means for absorbing water from the second pan, and means to direct air to said waterabsorbing means.

WILLIAM H. PARKER.

HARRY JAFFE. 

